Lidia didn't break eye contact with the man, her dagger still pressed against his throat.
The world around them went quiet, the group watching in tense silence. The only sound was the faint rustling of the wind through the trees.
But Lidia wasn't stupid.
Something was there.
And this bastard knew what it was.
"Check the bushes," she ordered, her voice sharp and unwavering.
One of the villagers hesitated before nodding and moving cautiously toward the thick undergrowth. Another followed, hands gripping their weapons tightly.
The man in her grip twitched.
"D-Don't," he stammered, eyes flickering toward the bushes, then back to her. "I swear to you—"
"Oh, now you want to swear?" Lidia scoffed, pressing the dagger just a little harder against his skin. "You've been throwing a damn fit all night, and now you want to negotiate?"
His jaw clenched.
The villagers edged closer to the bushes.
And then—
He moved.
Faster than she expected.
